Digital Marian Helper Spring_2018

16 M arian H elper  • S pring 2018  • marian.org T his year, one of the most austere observances on the liturgical calendar coincides with a holiday syn- onymous with fancy dinners, fine wine, expensive jewelry, and rich chocolates. For the first time since 1945, Ash Wednesday falls on Feb. 14 — Valentine’s Day. The modern Valentine’s Day hardly brings to mind the death of the ancient martyr , St. Valentine of Rome. One hagiographical account tells of a third-century priest named Valentine who was executed by Emperor Claudius II for officiating sacramental marriages at a time when Christianity was illegal. Another story tells of an ancient bishop named Valentine who, after having been jailed for his faith, restored sight to his captor’s blind daughter. Before his execution, Bishop Valentine left a note to the girl whom he had healed, signing it, “Your Valentine.” Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare further romanticized this feast day through their writings. Since it fell in the middle of February, when birds were thought to mate, they associated it with courtly love and romance. By the 20 th century, Hallmark was mass producing the Valentine’s Day greeting card. Soon, our consumer culture had embraced this holiday as an opportunity to shower our significant others with tangible signs of affection in the name of romantic love. Today, Valentine’s Day is a billion dollar industry. In 2016, Americans spent a record $19.7 billion on Valentine gifts and festivities, according to the National Retail Federation. Meanwhile, marriage rates in this country have hit a new low. In 2015, we averaged 6.74 marriages per 1,000 people with an expected decline over the next several years, according to Demographic Intelligence. Since love is seen as a mere fickle emotion, couples are no longer com- mitting to each other in marriage. Hiding behind flowers and heart-shaped candies, we have lost sight of what it means to truly love. As Ash Wednesday coincides with Valentine’s Day, we are reminded of a hard truth: Love inevitably requires sacrifice. At the beginning of the Lenten season , St. Faustina saw a vision of Christ hanging from the Cross. He said, “My pupil, have great love for those who cause you suffering. Do good to those who hate you.” In response, St. Faustina told Christ that she did not feel any love for the souls who caused her pain. He replied, “It is not always within your power to control your feelings. You will recognize that you have love if, after having experienced annoyance and contradiction, you do not lose your peace, but pray for those who have made you suffer and wish them well” ( Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1 628). True love does not depend upon our changing emo- tions, but on choosing to sacrifice for others. These choices may not give us the greatest feelings. In fact, sometimes we have to act against how we feel for the sake of love. When we do, we may suffer, but through this pain the Lord promises that we will find peace. Through the mystery of faith, Christ can take all the sacrifices we make for one another and use them for a higher purpose. Saint Faustina writes, “Today I felt the Passion of Jesus in my whole body, and the Lord gave me knowledge of the conversion of certain souls” ( Diary, 1627). Through our suffering, Christ can sanctify others. When we recognize this redemptive quality of suffering in our daily lives, we follow in the footsteps of the saints. We do not have to die as a martyr for our faith like St. Valentine or enter a religious order like St. Faustina to make use of our pain. Any time we suffer —whenever we become lonely, depressed, frustrated, or angry; when- ever we experience rejection, feel misunderstood, struggle financially, or endure an illness —we can offer these suf- ferings to Christ, and He will transform them through the power of the Cross. LOVE requires sacrifice T his year , L ent begins on V alentine ’ s D ay By Marc Massery